On September 21, 1972, then-President Ferdinand Marcos signed Proclamation 1081, placing the Philippines under Martial Law. While the proclamation bore that date, it was only announced to the public on September 23 through a televised address, marking the beginning of one of the darkest chapters in the nation's history.

Among the countless lives altered during this period was that of Charlie Del Rosario, a professor at the Philippine College of Commerce (PCC), now known as the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP). Del Rosario was more than an educator—he was an activist who stood firmly with students and workers in their fight for democracy, academic freedom, and social justice.

In March 1971, months before the formal declaration of Martial Law, Del Rosario was abducted by unidentified men. He was never seen again. This made him the first recorded desaparecido of Martial Law—an enduring symbol of the thousands who were forcibly disappeared during that era.

Del Rosario's disappearance struck deeply at the heart of the academic community. He represented a generation of educators who refused to remain silent in the face of state repression. His fate also served as a chilling warning to dissenters: anyone could vanish without a trace.

Today, as the nation commemorates September 21 and 23, Filipinos look back not only at the proclamation and implementation of Martial Law but also at the sacrifices of people like Charlie Del Rosario. His memory lives on in classrooms, in the continuing struggle for truth, and in the collective call to remember those who disappeared for daring to resist.

At the PUP Main Campus in Sta. Mesa, Manila, the Charlie Del Rosario Building now stands as a living tribute to his courage and sacrifice. More than a structure, it embodies the legacy of a professor who chose to side with the people and paid the ultimate price for freedom.

More than five decades later, his story remains a reminder: to forget is to risk repeating history.